


More Than You Bargained For

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: I had to do a lot more worldbuilding for this than I would have liked, Jean is a Rhymer, M/M, Marco is on a Rib team, POV Alternating, dramatical murder AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-07
Updated: 2014-10-14
Packaged: 2018-02-20 05:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2416595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a period of unrest in his Rib team, Titan, Marco Bodt runs away to neutral territory, only to be caught in a violent Rhyme game. He’s taken in by a Rhyme player by the name of Jean Kirschstein. However, as Marco and his teammates start to dig deeper, they begin to uncover a strange, twisted treasure hunt put in place by the old Head of Titan. But as confronting the people he cares about begins to bring out Marco’s dark side, will Jean be able to accept who he is?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Marco

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! So, this is my submission for the SnK Bigbang! (yes this is a day behind schedule because I made the mistake of believing I could think coherently after 10:30 PM)
> 
> So first of all, I'd like to thank [Nana](http://www.angstyourwayin.tumblr.com), who has orchestrated this whole thing and has been super encouraging and understanding throughout the whole thing. I'd also like to send my love to everyone on the chat for being super special awesome! It's been really amazing meeting you these past few month and I honestly can't imagine the SnK fandom without you.
> 
> Bonus points to the lovely [Morgan](http://momohime69.tumblr.com/), who edited this last minute. He also posted his addition to the big bang event recently, so if you're an ereri fan, feel free to check that shit out (also I edited it).
> 
> And finally, super duper big hat tip to the lovely [Cat](http://www.sassacat.tumblr.com), who's been working on some super fantastic art since the very beginning. Please go give her some love, as she is made of sunshine and amaze. Not sure when that's going up, but I'm still very excited for it.

I nervously look up at the door in front of me and tighten my grip on my bag. I take a quick, short breath and knock on it before I have a chance to second guess myself.

Despite myself, I still feel very wrong being here. Titan and Legion have been rivals since their formation, and here I was, a member of Titan myself, asking the Head of Legion for his help. There was a part of me that wanted to run away. I know I’m on enemy territory and, even during a ceasefire, it still makes me extremely uncomfortable.

The door swings open, and standing behind it is a young man, no more than a year or two younger than me, with piercing green eyes and tousled dark hair. Those eyes had been lowered into a glare the moment he’d looked at me, making me further regret my decision to come here. His AllMate, a vibrant green snake, is around his shoulders, a portion of her slender body wrapped tightly around his waist. She, too, looks incredibly displeased with my arrival. On the other side of his neck, Legion’s tag art, two differently coloured wings, is tattooed against his dark skin.

I’d seen him before during many of Titan’s spats against Legion. Eren Jeager, Legion’s future Head as handpicked by Levi himself. He is a dangerous fighter, more than capable of taking down quite a few men on his own. Even the way he’s regarding me makes me fear for my own life.

“What do you want?” he asks, sinking his hands into his pockets.

I shift my weight uncomfortably. “I- I’m here to speak to Levi,” I respond, trying to sound strong. My voice still wavers, like I’m trying to talk through a lump in my throat.

“Is that even allowed?” Eren snaps, his eyes never leaving mine.

“It’s a ceasefire,” I try to explain, gripping the bag tighter. “It’s against Rib regulation for me to do anything in your private home.” I pause to take a breath. “Please, I- I really need to speak to Levi. It’s important.”

“Eren!” a stern, yet smooth voice calls from further inside the apartment. “Would you mind telling me who’s at the door?”

“It’s just some guy from Titan,” Eren calls over his shoulder. “I was just asking him to leave.”

“Levi,” I call, hoping he could hear me, “it’s Marco Bodt. Please, Titan’s on ceasefire. You know I wouldn’t risk doing anything against regulation. I just need some help.”

I can hear the sound of footsteps moving closer, and soon, Levi makes his presence known. Despite the fact that Levi is significantly shorter than Eren, something in the way he holds himself commands attention. It’s the mark of a leader, I guess. Eren salutes, one fist over his heart, the other pressed against his back, though it doesn’t seem to be out of respect. His startled expression betrays him. I can’t quite tell what’s going through his head, but Levi isn’t happy with him.

“Levi, I need to speak with you,” I start, at a complete loss for any other words. Like Eren, I’m terrified of him. Seeing him fight against Titan

He cuts me off, thankfully, and turns to Eren. “You should go make us some tea. Marco might be with us for a while.”

Eren breaks his salute and whines. “Come on, Levi. He’s a Titan. How do you know there isn’t some sort of ambush going on?”

“Eren, make us some tea,” he says again, this time as a command, ruffling Eren’s hair. As the other man leaves, he calls, “Don’t forget some for yourself as well.”

“I’m sorry if I was intruding,” I mutter without looking up.

“No worries. I was looking for a distraction anyway. Come with me.” He turns around and starts heading further inside the apartment.

My head snaps up as I start to follow him through his apartment, eventually ending up in a small sitting room. I take a seat on the smaller of two couches, Levi on the larger. Eren comes in with a tray of tea and places it on the coffee table in front of us. I grab a cup between two hands and let the tea steep a bit. Eren, on the other hand, is impatient and has already taken the teabag out by the time I claim my cup. He takes a seat beside Levi and stares into his tea, only taking his eyes off it when he blows the steam off. I can tell he definitely doesn’t want me here.

Levi, on the other hand, while not exactly amicable, appears to be tolerating my presence just fine. He sits with his tea in his lap, choosing to let it steep like mine. It’s green tea (I can tell from the smell) so I figure I don’t need to put anything in it.

“So, Marco. What brings you here?” he asks, paying no mind to the dirty looks Eren is giving his tea (which I’m almost positive are meant for me).

“Well, you know about Titan’s ceasefire, right?” I begin, nervously fingering the paper tag on my teabag.

“I know of it,” Levi responds. “I don’t know all the details, but I know there’s been some sort of confusion in leadership. We aren’t to attack until you’ve sorted everything out.”

I nod. “That’s one way of explaining it, yeah. But really, it’s a mess. Before she went missing, Tawaret supposedly named two successors, and now a bunch of other people are coming forward saying they were told the same thing… God, it’s just tearing everyone apart.”

Levi takes the teabag from the hot water, rings it out, and paces it on the plate in front of him. “I guess that’s why you’re here then. You want some sort of protection.” He turns his eyes to me, watching closely.

“No,” I say, doing the same, my heart pounding in my chest. I feel like I’m being inspected under a microscope. Any suspicious action would be taken in by Levi’s cold, silver eyes. It would be enough to make anyone a little jumpy, honestly. “Nothing like that. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just need to be away from Titan for a while. Everything is in complete chaos.”

He nods, blowing on his tea before taking a sip. “I see. What do you need from me?”

“I’m looking for a place to stay.” I take a long drink of the tea, my hands shaking. Being here is still extremely uncomfortable, from Eren’s glares to the Legion tattoos on Eren’s neck and Levi’s chest, peaking out from beneath his tank top. I can tell I don’t belong and that I’m definitely not wanted here. “It’s just until things calm down. I won’t be there for long.”

Levi nods. “I can’t do that. I’m sorry,” he says bluntly before taking a sip of his tea.

My heart skips a beat. This is exactly what I was fearing. “What? Why?” I blurt without thinking. In order to stop myself from any further outbursts, I take a long drink of the tea.

Levi regards me with a calm look. Something in his eyes looks almost sympathetic, though it could have just been a trick of the light. “It’s against regulation. I’m not to house rival team members anywhere on our territory for any period of time or any reason, ceasefire or not. Besides, I don't think the rest of my team would particularly like having someone with Titan's tag art on our territory. It's for your safety more than mine.”

My hand subconsciously runs over my forearm where a crest has been tattooed. It has a woman's face in profile: Titan's symbol. It hasn't gotten me in trouble yet, but Levi has a point. If the rest of Legion hates Titan as much as Eren does, living here would be more trouble than it's worth. “I mean… there’s gotta be somewhere else, right? Anywhere else, please. I can’t go back.”

Levi lets out a quiet sigh. “I mean, I can’t house you on our territory, but there’s some neutral land just outside of it. You could probably find somewhere to stay there.”

I nod, finishing up the last of my tea and placing the cup on the table in front of me. "I think that could work, yeah. Is it far from Titan's territory?"

"Yes. It used to belong to one of the smaller Rib teams, but it's pretty much been taken over by Rhymers now. Most of the people who live there wouldn't know a Titan from a tortoise. If you're looking to run, it's probably the safest place for you." Levi places his cup beside mine and crosses his legs, looking back over to me again.

The concept of a place without Rib teams is new to me. I'd grown up on Titan's territory before deciding to join them. My entire life has always been about Rib: looking up to its teams and their players. Despite the fighting, Rib teams do a lot for ordinary people as well. I remember making food to bring to people who were sick or injured. A few times, I'd helped fight off criminals. Midorijima is rife with crime, and we Ribsters really try to help. I think that's the reason so many people keep us around, really. Otherwise, I think we'd be more trouble than we're worth. Without Ribsters, who would keeps the crime rate down and serve the community? Not the police or the Yakuza; they're too corrupt to care. Either way, it sounded safe. Too many Ribsters would recognise Titan's tag art on me, and I honestly wouldn't last longer than a day. Despite how alien it was, neutral territory seemed to be the best choice.

“Alright,” I concede, “I’ll find a place to live for the time being. Thanks for all your help, Levi.” I stand up, holding my bag close to me. I turn around and walk out of the apartment, my feet moving a lot faster than I mean for them to. As soon as I exit the building, I lean up against its worn walls and take a deep breath. God, it was such a relief to get away from everything. I pull my AllMate, a small silver fox, out of my bag and gently press her forehead.

“Hey, Zelda,” I greet with a warm smile as her honey-coloured eyes open slowly.

She flicks her broad tail and licks me on the nose. I let out a laugh and stroke her ears before putting her down on the street. Zelda looks up at me as I move away from the wall and make my way towards the neutral territory.

“So, how did the meeting go?” she asks. Despite the fact that she’s mostly machine, her voice sounds clear, like it could be coming out of a human. She follows me, matching my pace almost perfectly.

I shrug. “I guess it went okay. I have a safe place to live away from Titan.”

Zelda cocks her head. “You said that like there’s some sort of downside.”

As we walk, I notice some dirty looks from the various members of Legion that dot the street. I try to tilt my arm inwards so people can’t see the tag art on it. I can only hope Levi’s told them about Titan’s ceasefire and that I won’t be attacked. “Well, it’s not on Legion’s territory, so I honestly don’t know anything about it. Hopefully I can find somewhere to live.”

My AllMate lets out a sigh and rolls her eyes. “Let’s just hope it’s somewhere safe.”

I scoop her up into my arms and scratch the white fur on her neck. She lets out a quiet squeak as we continue towards unknown territory.


	2. Jean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Second chapter is up today.
> 
> I'd like to just clarify something right now if any of you are as DMMd illiterate as my beta:
> 
> "Rhyme" refers to the virtual game.  
> "The Rhyme" refers to the virtual plane on which the game is played.
> 
> This might be able to be inferred from context, but Morgan was confused, so I just thought I'd clarify.
> 
> Also, can you tell I really like writing Jean?
> 
> Edit: Changed some of the hyphens to dashes. Didn't realise there was a difference.

My AllMate, Buchwald, trots beside me, his curled tail bobbing up and down as he holds one of my shopping bags in his mouth. We’ve just come back from our weekly trip to the supermarket. Though I live alone and don’t need much food, having a weekly shopping trip gives me some peace of mind, if that makes sense. Like, I know no matter what, come hell or high water, I’ll always go for groceries on Thursdays, and absolutely nothing will change that. I take a quick break from walking to kneel down and give Buchwald a pat on the head.

“Thanks for helping me,” I say to him, running my fingers through his soft fur.

He gently drops the bag and opens his mouth, panting happily. “I’m always happy to help you, Jean.”

I smile and plant a kiss to the top of his head. “You’re a good dog, Buchwald. Come on, let’s get home.” I pick up my bags again, and my AllMate does the same. He walks very close to me, the tip of his ear brushing the side of my hip bone.

The only terrible part about grocery shopping is walking there and back. Not just because I’m lazy (though that is a portion of it), but because the fastest way home is a portion of the street rife with Drive-Byers. 

Buchwald and I are a talented Rhyme duo, so losing isn’t my biggest worry. Unlike official Rhyme matches, any damage dealt to you or your AllMate is felt entirely. And it hurts. I’ve seen people get migraines-hell, even faint after a particularly bad one. Drive-Byers are usually strong, too. Only so many people know how to initiate one, and since they happen so often and unexpectedly, it’s not hard to become incredibly strong. And even an AllMate as tough as Buchwald wouldn’t stand a chance against some of the more difficult Drive-Byers.

I could go around this part of town, of course, and avoid the risk completely, but it’d be dark before I got home, which would lead to some other complications. Midorijima isn’t the safest place to be, especially at night. Unfortunately, this is the best place to go through and get home by dark. If anything happens, I’ll have to deal with it.

Still, I keep Buchwald close to me and a wary eye on everyone. Better safe than sorry, I figure.

As I round a corner barely a block away from my home, a strange tingling sensation fills my body. Someone's starting up a Rhyme.

I think the best way I've ever heard the start of a Rhyme session described is like falling down a flight of stairs. Not the actual act of it, but more like the moment before; the moment you realise your feet didn't land on a step at all. That kind of...empty sensation where you're in freefall for a moment and your instincts kick in. The Rhyme feels like that when it first forms and lasts about twice as long. It’s kind of hard to get used to at the start, but after a while it gets addictive.

I look frantically around the street, looking for someone, anyone, to pull into the Rhyme with me. It's almost empty, the only person in arm's reach being a young man about my age with a small, spotted fox AllMate in his arms. I reach out for him, my fingers barely making contact with his shirt, and he turns around.

He stares at me, his warm, brown eyes looking like they want to pop out of his skull. Why the hell does he look so terrified? It's common knowledge that you want to pull someone into the Rhyme with you during a Drive-By.

The Rhyme doesn't seem to care for the stranger, however, as it starts to form in front of us. It starts out the way all Rhymes do, with a light blue grid spread out over the ground. The Drive-Byer stands in front of us, a hood covering their face. They're a coward, like almost every other Drive-Byer there is. Don't even want to show their face for fear of getting caught. Their aesthetic is rather nice, though. It's a medieval town created down to the last detail: little houses, narrow streets, little chips in the stones or wear on the wood houses. It's actually rather impressive. Their avatar doesn't look out of place here: a young man in light beige monk's robes. A broad sword is sheathed along the chord that keeps his robes together, a small feather dangling from its hilt.

As our AllMates transform into their avatar forms, the boy I pulled into the Rhyme turns to me, his eyes still wide and scared. "What the hell is going on?"

I raise a skeptical eyebrow. "You haven't played Rhyme before?"

He shakes his head. "No, I'm not really from around here. What do I do?"

"Try not to die," I mutter. It's the best advice I can give, honestly. You can't teach someone Rhyme in ten seconds. It took me an afternoon followed by weeks of losses to learn.

His AllMate, now a beautiful maiden in a long white dress, holds out her staff, locking eyes with the stranger's avatar. "Alright, Marco. Do you remember any of my move set?"

The stranger, Marco, shakes his head frantically. "I honestly didn't think I needed it."

I sigh and take a look at the Coil on my wrist. The screen has lit up with Rhyme stats. Both the player’s name and the AllMate's have been replaced with some glitchy symbols and the occasional letter, something that can be done with hacking. Such a coward, doesn't want to be caught doing Drive-Bys. The stats all look right, though, so at least they're honest. The AllMate is a swordsman class, apparently. That’s good. As calvary, Buchwald has the upperhand. I swipe the screen to the side. Marco has no official Rhyme name, just his legal one, and his AllMate, Zelda, is a healer class, the kind with little to no attack power and no armor to speak of. In short, he’s fucked.

I put my arm back down. “Must be my turn then,” I say. The hooded figure doesn’t look at me and, instead, waves their hand. From where I’m standing, there appears to be a small patch of rough skin on it. A scar? I can’t tell from what, though.

The sound of rolling dice fills the space around us as a set starts up. They…waited for me to finish? That’s certainly very strange… Stranger still was their ability to command their avatar without saying anything.

The swordsman nods and unsheathes his weapon. He starts to take a run towards the two of us.

I’m almost positive he’s going after Zelda. After all, she’s the lower level and a swordsman class would have the upper hand on a healer class. Marco would be lucky if she survived one hit from the hooded stranger’s avatar.

I decide not to tell Buchwald to defend. This proves to be the right choice as the swordsman leaps into the air and slashes his sword, sending a wave of air to Zelda. I hear a small gasp and look over at Marco. He’s broken out into a full sprint and places himself in between Zelda and the wave. Before I can say anything, the wave smacks into him, knocking him off his feet and into Zelda’s arms. According to my Coil, his durability goes down to about one quarter of its starting amount. Another attack-any other attack-and he’ll lose the match.

Marco lets out a loud groan, pressing his fingers to his temples. “I thought Rhyme wasn’t supposed to hurt.”

“It doesn’t. This isn’t a legal match,” I explain. It’s my turn, but there’s no time limit in Drive-Bys, so I walk over to him. “Are you okay?”

He nods and gets back up, letting out a weak laugh. “Believe me, I’ve had worse.” He keeps one hand pressed to his forehead, swaying slightly. It’s then that I notice the marking on his inner arm. It’s some sort of coat of arms with a lady in profile. I know I’ve seen it before somewhere…

Regardless, I get back behind Buchwald, his horse whinnying at me in annoyance. “Alright, Buchwald. Charge set,” I command.

Buchwald raises his lance and snaps the reins, his horse breaking out into a quick gallop. As he swings his lance, the swordsman dodges backwards.

I take a deep breath and try to keep my composure. It’s not uncommon for Drive-Bys to go like this. Some players use them more as a means to ambush players as opposed to actually playing the game.

“Buchwald, strike him,” I call. I don’t look to see how the battle goes and, instead, turn my attention to Zelda and Marco. Zelda is on her knees, Marco’s head on her lap. I lean down beside them. “Is he going to be okay?”

She shoots me a dirty look, running her fingers through Marco’s dark hair. “I should be asking you that question.”

“I think so. The first Rhyme battle usually hurts. It takes a while to get used to it. I don’t know; Drive-Bys don’t have the protocol to lessen the pain, but there’s no way a game would kill him, right?” I start thinking out loud, frantically.

“You brought him into this!” she snapped.

I shut my eyes tight, trying to balance between my Rhyme thoughts and my worries about Marco’s safety. As soon as the battle ends, I’ll make sure to come back for him. Instead, I grab Zelda’s staff and run to where the swordsman and Buchwald are fighting. Both parties are looking a bit worse for wear, so I figure it’d be a good time to join the fight. All the rules have gone to Hell, so I figure, why not?

I get behind the hooded figure’s swordsman and smack the back of his head with Zelda’s staff. Hard. As soon as I make contact, I find myself pinned to the cobblestone street by the hooded figure, the back of my head aching. I succeed in throwing them off. They may have gravity on their side, but I’m a lot stronger. They fall down just in front of where Buchwald and the swordsman are fighting. The stranger tries to run at me and succeed in pinning me to the ground as the swordsman spares a moment to drive his blade through my chest. The pain is unbearable, like one of the worst migraines I’ve ever experienced. With that final move, the Rhyme starts to fade back into the street, leaving only the stranger, Marco, and me. The hooded figure turns tail and tears down the street. I don’t even get a glimpse of their face or their AllMate. Such a coward. They must want to cover their tracks.

Buchwald walks up to me and licks my face. Out of all of us, he’s definitely faring the best. I produce a bottle of painkillers from my pocket, suck on the candy coating for a bit, and swallow them dry. Hopefully they’ll do something for this damn headache once they start kicking in. I get up, stable on my feet despite the pain in my head, and start to pick up the bags I dropped. None of their contents were ruined by the Rhyme fight, either.

As soon as I’m done checking the food I hear a loud yip from behind me. Zelda is sitting beside Marco’s unconscious body, flicking her tail impatiently. “Aren’t you going to help him?” she asks, though it’s more like a demand.

“I know. I’m going to. I just need to check my stuff.” I put the bags back down and walk over to Marco.

He’s definitely unconscious, but he’s breathing alright, judging by the way his chest moves. People have gotten anything from mild pain to migraines and nausea from losing in Drive-Bys. The worst are people like Marco who don’t play Rhyme often. A standard Rhyme session usually ends in a bit of a headache, but Drive-Bys? You feel every hit you or your avatar takes.

I take him in my arms and start to carry him home. I have less than a block left to go, but Marco's a lot heavier than he looks. Not human brick heavy, but it's easy to forget exactly how tall he is. I tuck him up close to my neck and. He's got this sweet little baby face when he sleeps and lots of dark freckles on skin. Honestly, he's really cute-in the puppy sort of way, but also in the attractive sort of way.

Buchwald holds a few of the bags in between his teeth, leaving the last one for Zelda to grab.

“What are you planning to do?” Zelda asks, following behind me.

“I’m going to take him in. I have a spare couch he can rest on until he wakes up,” I explain as we approach my house. “Don’t worry, Zelda; I’ll take care of him.”

The fox flicks her tail in annoyance and enters my house alongside Buchwald. I make my way to the couch and gently place Marco on it before tucking a blanket around him.

Zelda hops onto the couch, sitting atop the couch’s crest rail. She keeps a wary eye on me as I exit the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading everyone!
> 
> Anyway, if y'all wanna check out my [tumblr](http://www.i-cant-make-witty-urls.tumblr.com) and maybe say hi that's fine too. I also take requests for when I feel like procrastinating, so gimme a shout if you want.


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